1. Ways to Use Writing

2. Ways to Use Writing: An Introduction
Writing can be considered the greatest time-old form of art. Writing is also a necessity in every day life - work, school, and getting around. Here are a few ways in which we can use writing for our benefit.

3. 1. Writing to Clear Away Distractions
Distractions often keep us from focusing on our work, thinking straight, or writing clearly (Elbow)

4. 1. Writing to Clear Away Distractions
Free writing is a writing technique to help clear away these distractions
It's a quick outlet to express thoughts and feelings through writing
It's a way to release your mind of distractions, by putting them down on paper or onto your computer screen

5. 1a. Why use Free Writing to Clear Distractions
If you can't concentrate or focus
If you have writers block
If your thoughts are jumbled
To brainstorm new ideas
To clear your mind

6. 1b. A Guide to Free Writing
Type or use a pen and paper, to just write
Write nonstop for a given amount of time
Do NOT make corrections
Continue writing even if you have nothing to say
Write whatever comes to your mind
Do not censor your writing (Free Writing)
Do not worry about grammar or punctuation
Let your ideas flow

7. 2. Writing to Clarify Meaning
During the writing process, you can use this as a time to focus on clarifying your meaning
Find the root of what you are trying to say or clarify
Search for the words to describe what you really mean
Be as specific as possible
Clarify cloudy or vague areas
Be honest
Have someone inform you were they are confused in your writing
Re-read, revise, and edit

8. 3. Writing to Discover
Writing always involves an amount of both construction and discovery
Discover occurs simultaneously while constructing a paper and conducting research; we tend to discover and learn new things as we write
Writers can only fully understand their subject after writing about it. (Perl 1979, p.331) 

9.              3. Writing to Discover
Once we write our thoughts down on paper, we can go back, re-read and discover the meaning behind our thoughts and make sense of them

10.              3. Writing to Discover
We're not supposed to know exactly what our writing is going to look like during the primary drafts; it is through a process of further writing, exploring and discovering that we get a clearer picture of our work(Lamott)
Some discovery techniques: free writing, clustering, listing, open-ending writing, and loop writing

11. 4. Writing to Think Deeply
Almost every time we write, we engage ourselves in critical thinking—or deep thinking.
Writing has been claimed to be "the most disciplined form of thinking” (Romano)
As we write, we make connections between what we know and what were trying to learn (Romano)
   

12. 4. Writing to Think Deeply
Using writing to think deeply is considered one of the most effective ways of learning (Newkirk)

13. 4. Writing to Think Deeply
Asking questions may be the simplest form of deep or critical thinking.
 Some examples of questions to ask include:
Questions that don't have right or wrong answers
Questions that begin with "describe", "explain", "compare", etc.
Follow-up questions
Questions that have multiple possible answers
open-ended questions

14. 4. Writing to Think Deeply
Deep Thinking Skills:
Meta-cognition (Thinking about one's own thinking process)
Evaluation
Deduction
Induction (to draw out, or derive)
Taking Multiple Perspectives

15. 5. Writing to Make Sense of What We Read
•It’s not always easy to comprehend what we read
•Writing is a good way to jump start this lack of comprehension
–Write down any questions you might have regarding what you’ve read
•Questions will help you to look at the facts from a different angle or perspective

16. 5. Writing to Make Sense of What We Read
•There is sometimes a lot of information included in a text and writing helps the reader by allowing them to stop for a moment and digest the information
–Write down key points or feelings you may have taken from the reading

17. 6. Writing as You Deem Best
•There is no specific way every person should write •One writing style may work for one person but may be completely wrong for another -Writing style may even change from day to day for the same person

18. 6. Writing as You Deem Best
•The key is to write the way that you feel best fits you, or even your current mood
–Use a variety of strategies that you’ve learned through experience as a writer

19. In Conclusion...
As you can see, writing we can use writing for many purposes. Writing is an introspective process and it can help us to clear away distractions, to clarify meaning, to discover, to think deeply, to understand what we read, and finally, to find how you best write. The possibilities are endless!

20. Works Cited
 Budd, Luann. "Ways to Use Writing." Journal Keeping. 29 Sept <
"Deep Thinking Skills." (2006) <
"Free Writing." (1998) <